Coats for the Community
Do you have warm winter coat that you haven’t worn lately, is too big or too small,  is “gently used”, in your basement or storage unit? At the back of your closet?

Two Coat Drives:

1. The United Way’s third annual Coats for Community drive is underway!
Coats must be washable only; no leather or heavy wool.
The donated coats will be distributed through agencies serving people in
vulnerable circumstances. You may drop off your coat at the following Kingston
locations:

• United Way KFL&A Office:
417 Bagot Street
Mon-Fri 8:30am to 4:30pm
• Calvin Park Branch Library
88 Wright Crescent
Mon-Thu 9: 00am to 8:00pm; Fri-Sat 9:00am to 5:00pm
• Central Branch Library
130 Johnson Street
Mon-Thu 9:00am to 8:00pm; Fri-Sat 9:00am to 5:00pm; Sun 1:00 to 5:00pm
• Isabel Turner Library
935 Gardiners Road
Mon-Thu 9:00am to 8:00pm; Fri-Sat 9:00am to 5:00pm; Sun 1:00 to 5:00pm
• City Hall
216 Ontario Street
Mon-Fri 8:30am to 4:30pm

2. St Mary’s Cathedral Coat Drive
St Mary’s Parish Centre 260 Brock St.
Coat Drop Off: Mon – Fri 12pm to 3pm
Starting: Oct 28
Coat Pick up: Mon – Fri 1pm – 3pm
From: Nov 15 – Dec 23 and Jan 2 – 14

Book Table
If you are done with some of your current, favourite novels, donations are gladly
accepted at church house, Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays between 11 and 4pm
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Cookie Table
We need bakers to make cookies by Nov. 17 for the Bazaar on Nov. 19. If you
haven’t been contacted already, please call Joan at 613-545-1099 to let her know your commitment.
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Gourmet Gifts to Go Mixes
Worker bees are needed to fill the jars with the ingredients
for yummy soups, cookies and more.
Come join the fun! Our first session will be after church on Nov. 6.
Contact Linda Steinberg hpsesp14@gmail.com
if you can join us or would like to help at a different time.
The more the merrier!

Warm Feet for the Street
Providing a brighter Christmas for those who need it, through Chalmers’ Benevolent Program.

Hard to believe we are already starting to think about winter and cold weather! UGH!
But here we are and with it comes thinking of others, especially those who are on the
street. They will need some additional warmth.
As in past years, volunteers will be filling socks for those folks who come to the
Chalmers’ Benevolent Program on Tuesday mornings. Socks will be distributed during
November and December. The socks are stuffed with a pair of gloves, a toque,
practical items, treats, and a candy cane. We invite you to make a financial
contribution to this community project using the envelope provided in your
bulletin.

NEWS FROM THE CHALMERS COMMISSION – AUGUST 5, 2022
Having received and reviewed my 2021/2022 Commission Report (a copy of which is available upon request to david@narrowgate.ca), the Assembly of Elders for the East
Central Ontario Region of The United Church of Canada has extended the term of my office until July 31, 2023. This extension is intended to provide the Chalmers community
with both needed operational oversight and time to continue development of its capacity, shared sense of mission, and governance structure.

The furthering of the Commission’s mandate recognizes the noteworthy progress made by the congregation over the last 18 months in righting relationships, notwithstanding
there being no resident ministry personnel to assist in the process, and the adverse impacts of the pandemic. It further affirms and celebrates the congregation’s efforts at
having continuous, uninterrupted worship, and its embrace of Restorative Practice as a way to re-establish the opportunity for independent decision making, per our
denominational polity.

With this in mind, and within the next 12 months, I anticipate that the people of Chalmers will:

1. continue their commitment to, and use of, Restorative Practice
2. generally attend to such matters that will further determine and define the faith community’s identity and missional emphasis
3. design and endorse a new governance model (the way of allocating resources and making decisions) that supports implementation of its identity and missional
   emphasis
4. subsequently propose an initial slate of candidates for a governance body (all to be concurred with by this Commission).

Consideration of my recommendations respecting interim future staffing arrangements have been deferred by the Elders pending further discussion with me. This said, the Reference Team joins me in the sincere hope that you are experiencing the reawakening of Chalmers, and the progress made to date in becoming a more restorative community of faith.
To move forward with congregational conversation about future needs and possibilities, the Reference Team and I are scheduling three facilitated in-person gatherings on the
following dates and times:
• August 31st @ 1:00 p.m.
• September 7th @ 7:00 p.m.
• September 14th @ 7:00 p.m.

Each of these meetings will provide a similar opportunity for contributing to next steps; that is to say, each will ask the same questions and have the same format. Please
attend the session most convenient to you! And lastly, I wish to advise that one of the factors that will inform my subsequent report and recommendations to the Region as to Chalmers’ vitality and viability regards the degree of congregational participation in gatherings, especially those designed to consider/plan for Chalmer’s future. I encourage you to attend, to add your voice, and to demonstrate your interest in/commitment to this faith community life. Who, how, and what Chalmers United Church is, or is not, very much depends on the nature and number of those who are engaged in its work, worship, and witness.

Walking alongside you at this opportunity-filled time, I remain,

G. David King, B.A., M. Div., O.M. (U.C.C.), C.G.R.S.
Commissioner

Action Plan Moving Forward
Summer is drawing to a close and it is time for more Chalmers action! We hope you paid special attention to the message from our Administrator David King on his report to the Region. He reported our progress and the Region responded quite positively. Our next task on the list is to go about developing a new model for making decisions and plans at Chalmers that reflects our needs for new ways of doing and being. Please plan to attend one of the three upcoming sessions at MacCallum Hall. Everyone is invited and needed. Please read these background details to prepare for these sessions.
• August 31 at 1:00 PM
• September 7 at 7:00 PM
• September 14 at 7:00 PM

• August 9 – August 12, 2022.
• Tues. and Fri.10 am to 4 pm
• Wed. and Thurs. 10 am to 8 pm
• Opening ceremony is at 1 pm on Tuesday, August 9.

 Gifts for Chalmers 

This week we had the pleasure of meeting Emmeline Banister Patton, the daughter of Rev. W. Franklin Bannister (8^th Minister at Chalmers from 1950 to 1965) and her husband Bob Patton.  They have kindly donated several bibles belonging to Rev. Banister, as well as CKWS records of sermons he gave in 1955 and some books. Emmeline has granted permission for Chalmers to use the records as we may wish. The items are in Church house if anyone wishes to view them.

One behalf of Chalmers, we thank Emmeline and Bob for their generous donations and wish them all the very best in their move to B.C.

Tech Team needs a new member

We welcomed Dylan Lodge to the tech team this year and he has been an invaluable member of the team.  He has a new opportunity and now will be moving on to bigger things.   We congratulate him and wish him well in his career while at the same time we will miss him.  Please take the time to thank him personally during his last Sundays with us in July and August.

Meanwhile, if you or someone you know, or know of someone who might know another someone…  that would be interested in joining the team, please contact Nick Steinberg at steinberg777@hotmail.com.

Something big is coming on November 19 that you won’t want to miss. It’s the

United Marketplace Tour

But first a little background….

For the past 6 months, Chalmers has been involved in a collaboration with some of the other United Churches in town. The purpose was to explore ways that the churches can share resources so that each congregation gets more access to a greater variety of programs. They have also been exploring ways to share special events that are happening with other churches (special speakers, fundraisers, and special events.) Their latest venture is the United Marketplace Tour. This event, hosted by Edith Rankin, Crossroads and Chalmers with special guests, Princess St and Faith United, is a “trail” of 3 bazaars all occurring at the same time (similar to an Arts Trail).

 So what is it?

On November 19 from 10-2 the three host churches will be holding their bazaars and people will be encouraged to check out more than one during the day. Each church does their own planning along with the special guests (Princess St is joining Crossroads and Faith is joining Chalmers), but there is also group planning and advertising so that there will be some degree of cohesion between the events. All of the churches will have some similar tables, but they will also have some unique features. For example, Edith Rankin invites artisans to show their wares, and Chalmers will be featuring our gourmet gifts to go (cookie trays newly imagined and Mason jar mixes) Please mark the date on your calendar – you won’t want to miss it!

 So what is Chalmers doing? How can I join the fun?

Now that you know the basics, here is what Chalmers has planned and what donations we are looking for.

 1. Gourmet Gifts to Go – featuring Cookie trays and Mason jar mixes

A change this year! The cookies will be prepared earlier – for the bazaar – and ready to be frozen. We will have the same wonderful variety in a freezable container. We still need the wonderful baking from all of the Chalmers folks.

Joan – jsimeon601@gmail.com

Mason Jar Mixes – Ingredients for soups, cookies and more, attractively arranged in Mason jars. A gathering of workers will be assembling the jars in early November. If you have jars or circles of fabric to donate please contact Linda at  Hpsesp14@gmail.com

2.Craft Table

“Crafty Ladies /Gentlemen of Chalmers”

We need products of your sewing, knitting, crotcheting, woodworking or other skills to stock our “Craft Table” at the new Bazaar venture in November.

If we each produce 1 or 2 small articles we will have a great assortment of goods!

Are we “up” for the challenge? Let’s show everyone we are!

To verify your participation email Jean jgsills@bell.net, Joan at j-hauser@sympatico.ca or Jan at arrand.jan@gmail.com

Hope to hear from you soon!

 3. Book Table

Please save any relatively new or in good condition novels, mysteries, children’s, etc. books to contribute to our bazaar. No magazines please.

Jane –  jmacewen@cogeco.ca

 4. The Nearly New Table.

This table welcomes jewellery, trinkets, figurines, ornaments etc. Small treasures appropriate for regifting or another person’s pleasure. 
Rosalie –  dspooner@cogeco.ca

Contact one of the above people to donate and help make this exciting new venture a huge success!